Obedience of Faith

The LORD is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and rage. He takes revenge on all who oppose him and continues to rage against his enemies! [Nahum 1.2]

Oh wow. There are some key words here. "All who oppose Him..." and "enemies" cannot be ignored.

If one is in control of everything, then everything can be attributed to that one. So it is with God - and appropriately so. Even if the devil actually does the destroying, it is God's Word that commissions it (Deuteronomy 28 curses on disobedience). So, there is no glory for the enemy as he is merely a puppet on a string. God is in control.

With this established, we must see then that any destruction that "comes from God" is not random, but is the just reward for disobedience to God.

So then, what about those who obey God?

The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him. [Nahum 1.7]

Those who trust in God - who obey Him - find a different reward - and it is NOT destruction!

Obedience and disobedience find polar opposite rewards from God. This must be established in our hearts and minds. If not, we are vulnerable to limitless misunderstanding and confusion about Who God is.

All destruction is the result of sin. Whether a specific person is guilty or a people group is guilty, destruction is God's reward for disobedience.

Because of Adam and Eve's sin, destruction was unleashed on mankind because sin became a genetic thing. Just being born qualified a human for destruction.

God provided a way to transcend the default destruction curse upon mankind. Obedience. While obedience secured some measure of blessings on the lives of its practitioners, it was still incomplete because the genetics remained unchanged.

What was needed was some way to change the genetics of man. The problem however was that man had chosen his own destiny of destruction by disobeying God and his 'authority' was then transferred to the one whom he obeyed, Satan. It was a 'legal transaction' of sorts, but eternally binding just the same. It would require a like 'legal transaction' to change it.

Enter Jesus Christ. Jesus was not born of human seed (male sperm), but of the Holy Spirit. He was all man, but he did not carry the genetics of man - He carried the genetics of His Father in heaven. Jesus came to earth as human - but perfect.

Fast forwarding to the Cross, Jesus was unjustly 'destroyed.' Just another day of torment for the destroyer, Satan. But the problem was, Satan had violated his legal right to "kill, steal, and destroy" and had murdered an innocent man. That was all well and good as far as he was concerned because, "Who is going to argue the case?" he might have thought.

But, Jesus rose from the dead. He ultimately rose to heaven and there to the right hand of God. It is there, at the right hand of God, that Jesus intercedes for those who believe in His work on the Cross. Jesus argues His blood (shed unjustly thus violating the legal right of Satan to destroy) over every person who, in the obedience of faith, believes in Him.

Notice that obedience is still required. The obedience of faith in Christ attaches the believer's life to that of the One he believes in, Jesus. By trusting in Christ, the believer shares in every blessing 'earned' by Perfect Jesus. God's vengeance is no longer upon him. God's blessings are his in every circumstance. BUT! the believer must be obedient in faith.

Bottom line: destruction is reserved for disobedience and disobedience alone. If we experience destruction, it is the result of disobedience - disobedience of commission or disobedience of faith. Think now of all the talk Jesus spent on faith!

Perhaps we won't overcome every destructive force against us in this life (remember, sin is the inescapable default genetic condition of man). Perhaps we won't overcome every destructive force against nature in this life (God cursed the ground because of Adam and Eve's sin too). But "obedience" would have us try and keep trying.

Do you realize that, until God cursed the ground after sin entered mankind, that plants and every other living thing likely did not 'cycle' in life and death? That is why Adam had to till the soil after sinning - because no longer did plants just perpetually provide food!

So, we can take comfort (?) that we live in a fallen world... there is nothing not under the curse. Just as Jesus could not physically touch and change every situation in the world, He did touch and change every situation brought before Him! And, He is our example to follow - to follow in obedience - the obedience of faith. And, just as Jesus glorified the Father with His life on earth, so our lives as believers are meant to glorify the Father with our obedience of faith - touching every fallen situation that comes before us with His Abundant Life, and passing that faith on to all we encounter. That is God's way - that is God's will - "as it is in heaven."

Destruction is only God's will as it is required to reward disobedience. Our genetic sin nature guarantees that we will always, while here on earth, have to be obedient in faith. Otherwise, we are simply swept away in the destruction. But we must constantly remind ourselves that God is glorified when we believe! It matters not "who sinned" because we all sinned. The obedience of faith transcends and overrides the default genetic sin/destruction condition. We must always believe. Believing - faith - is what pleases God. Anything less, is sin and destruction remains the reward for sin.

Father, thank You for working through this with me today. I am aware that my knowledge is nothing - but I thank You for helping me at least process some thoughts here and hopefully grow in faith by so doing. Be glorified in me.